Show HN: Roadmap – A Personal Growth Game for Social Anxiety • Hacker News Board

Re: Show HN: Roadmap – A Personal Growth Game for Social Anxiety

#61

Post by tolarewaju3 » Wed, Oct 25, 2023, 3:03 PM UTC

yreg wrote: post #26

autoexec wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn't even see a privacy policy (not that those are in any way binding), but even it isn't doing that today who knows what will happen to the data they're collecting/have collected in the future, and like I said, smart phones aren't secure or private and they are designed to exploit users. If you need help with your mental health, please talk to a medical professional where you have at least some measure of protec…

Hm, they do collect user and usage data and they say they might share it with others. https://www.roadmaptogrow.com/privacy.html It's unfortunate. We’ve made a similar app (to combat sugar addiction), but we made a conscious decision to avoid collecting any information we don't have to. Our privacy policy is just that we get the data App Store shares with us and that when a user sends us an email we are going to keep…

Hey. This is a good callout. Honestly, I should have done more due diligence with generating privacy policies before this. I do not have any plans to sell user's data. I wrote my full thoughts on that in my reply to the top comment.

But we do store data in the cloud and use analytics to understand usage data. So technically, I am disclosing certain data with those companies.

* first name

* the type of step you took (ex. Commenting on a social media post)

* email address

The data that is collected is to understand how people are using the app, if it's helping them overcome Social Anxiety, and to contact them for stuff.

This thread has made me realize that I need to re-work the privacy policy. Most policies are made to be pretty unclear and actually obfuscate what will actually be done with data. I hate reading those and just want to know:

* What data is collected & why

* Where it's being sent

If anyone has other concerns, you can drop me a line at teeoh@roadmaptogrow.com. I am quite committed to being upfront with this -- even if people don't like the all of the policy.

Re: Show HN: Roadmap – A Personal Growth Game for Social Anxiety

#62

Post by tolarewaju3 » Wed, Oct 25, 2023, 4:01 PM UTC

Uptrenda wrote: post #34

I appreciate the effort but can't help feeling the app trivializes and infantilizes the issue of 'social anxiety' with it's one-size-fits-all approach. There may be many reasons a person has social anxiety. Maybe they were severely abused and learned to be fearful of people. Maybe they have autism and find themselves anxious trying to communicate with neurotypical people. Maybe they're just... shy and haven't been in…

First of all, thanks so much for your feedback. You have a fair point that I'll have to consider while building.

And while I agree that the reasons for Social Anxiety may differ, I've found that there is one common root: an extreme desire for approval.

This drives the anxiety. When we want others' approval so bad, we become anxious when thinking about losing it. This fear becomes a discouraging spiral.

Fear of what you think --> Running from opportunities & ruin my life --> Regret & feel more discouraged

And it starts over again. Social Anxiety is discouraging. And so, to combat this, we need encouragement to take even the smallest step. You have no idea how many people I've talked to who were so happy to just be able say hello to someone. Encouragement is the lifeblood of overcoming Social Anxiety.

Ultimately, I'm trying to create a success spiral.

Take a small step --> Celebrate / track your win / see growth --> Get encouraged to take a bigger step

Little by little, this rewires us to let go of people's approval and live fulfilling lives.

I am not a therapist. But I have struggled with Social Anxiety for most of my life and have been involved with helping that community for years now too. This game is also one I've played for the past 7 years -- and it's helped me grow.

Some people may need a therapist. Others need a personal encourager

Re: Show HN: Roadmap – A Personal Growth Game for Social Anxiety

#63

Post by tolarewaju3 » Wed, Oct 25, 2023, 4:13 PM UTC

rocketbop wrote: post #37

Uptrenda wrote: post #34

I appreciate the effort but can't help feeling the app trivializes and infantilizes the issue of 'social anxiety' with it's one-size-fits-all approach. There may be many reasons a person has social anxiety. Maybe they were severely abused and learned to be fearful of people. Maybe they have autism and find themselves anxious trying to communicate with neurotypical people. Maybe they're just... shy and haven't been in…

I share your concern about using an app to deal with a psychological problem, but I think a counterpoint to your concern about this app being one-size-fits-all is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. The central premise of CBT is that it doesn't really matter what the roots of the behaviour a patient wants to change are. Reprogramming our behaviours is enough. This is really the opposite of the old Freudian ideas that a th…

Bingo.

It's a mix of exposure therapy and CBT. I understand that people are concerned over the simplified approach. But like most things (therapy included), if it's not simple enough to understand, it doesn't get used.

Many Social Anxiety therapists first go will be exposure therapy -- gradually exposing their clients to fears until they don't feel it as much. We employ a version of this in Roadmap. The levels start out small and then gradually introduce larger steps at the player's pace.

CBT - This practice comes in two parts: identifying the underlying thoughts / beliefs of the anxiety. And then forming skills / behaviors to tackle that.

Social Anxiety is focused on our future failures in front of people. In Roadmap, that central belief is uprooted when we capture your wins and replay them to you over and over.

Instead of focusing on future failures & being discouraged, we rewire the mind to appreciate past wins & build confidence.

Re: Show HN: Roadmap – A Personal Growth Game for Social Anxiety

#64

Post by tolarewaju3 » Wed, Oct 25, 2023, 4:22 PM UTC

deltoids wrote: post #21

ksenzee wrote: post #16

This is essentially a medical device for administering behavioral therapy to treat social anxiety, and I don't see any indication that it was developed with any kind of input or review from experts in the field. I honestly feel that borders on irresponsible. A review from a psychologist specializing in social anxiety would be a good idea.

TLDR; creator should get a psychologist behind this project to avoid negative views. Disclaimer: I do not mean to belittle the author of the comment above in any way. I'm sharing my views on why I find it absurd to call a mental health tool like this irresponsible without a greenlight from a psychologist. I don't understand how people find these things so irresponsible. It's the same with using an LLM for therapy. Ma…

Thanks!

And yes, I know I'll have to strike a balance between "here's what helped me" and disclaimers. But this essentially expresses my views.

I do understand that there are things I'll need to do to put people's minds at ease and like the author of the comment said, avoid negative discourse.

Re: Show HN: Roadmap – A Personal Growth Game for Social Anxiety

#65

Post by tolarewaju3 » Wed, Oct 25, 2023, 4:24 PM UTC

xyzelement wrote: post #44

I probably had social anxiety when I was younger. Being “forced” into social situations (eg choosing to become a manager, choosing to attend business school) helped get over it to a good extent, which I guess is in line with this app. The key insight in retrospect is that ego and self centeredness play a big role. I used to think people really sit there and judge what and how I say and do. In reality that comes from…

Glad you were able to overcome it!

Agreed. People are not thinking of us nearly as much as we think

Re: Show HN: Roadmap – A Personal Growth Game for Social Anxiety

#66

Post by tolarewaju3 » Wed, Oct 25, 2023, 4:30 PM UTC

1270018080 wrote: post #11

Is it all work related goals?

Nope. But I will update the screens to show that. It's really any type of thing that people get anxious about. Here are some of the categories

- Speaking in public

- Sharing Ideas

- Going to Social Events

- Disagreeing with people

- Meeting new people

- Asking for help

Re: Show HN: Roadmap – A Personal Growth Game for Social Anxiety

#67

Post by tolarewaju3 » Wed, Oct 25, 2023, 4:32 PM UTC

larusso wrote: post #13

1270018080 wrote: post #11

Is it all work related goals?

Also interested. My social anxieties show the most in every day life situations not so much at work or at least no longer. During company parties it’s the worst. I receive a strong flight reflex and only want to go home. The more people I know better but that doesn’t always help. Alcohol helps but that isn’t an alley I want to follow. What I found interesting: I traveled the West coast this summer and I have no real…

I am the same way! Most of my Social Anxiety comes down to sharing things that are weird about me or confronting people.

I also find it easier to do these things when I don't know the person. With people closer to me, it's actually worse.

Re: Show HN: Roadmap – A Personal Growth Game for Social Anxiety

#68

Post by tolarewaju3 » Wed, Oct 25, 2023, 4:32 PM UTC

wholinator2 wrote: post #14

larusso wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also interested. My social anxieties show the most in every day life situations not so much at work or at least no longer. During company parties it’s the worst. I receive a strong flight reflex and only want to go home. The more people I know better but that doesn’t always help. Alcohol helps but that isn’t an alley I want to follow. What I found interesting: I traveled the West coast this summer and I have no real…

One tip i heard from good ol jordan peterson is to force yourself to start making eye contact with people when you notice yourself slipping. It worked very well for me in party and on the street settings because it's a relatively easy task but such a simple gesture really opens the door to further interaction much wider. I never realized how much i was scowling and avoiding eye contact until i saw someone else doing…

Nice tip!

Eye contact is hard but crucial

Re: Show HN: Roadmap – A Personal Growth Game for Social Anxiety

#69

Post by tolarewaju3 » Wed, Oct 25, 2023, 4:34 PM UTC

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #30

jmprspret wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well... That's all that matters, right? Serving your employer? Adding value?

And having side projects, because doing your job outside of your job is really important for your employer.

LOL. This made me chuckle. It's actually the opposite of what I think a side project is. I was actually referring to things done for my own goals outside of work.

For example, sharing Roadmap would be what I would do for that step

Re: Show HN: Roadmap – A Personal Growth Game for Social Anxiety

#70

Post by tolarewaju3 » Wed, Oct 25, 2023, 4:35 PM UTC

jmprspret wrote: post #12

1270018080 wrote: post #11

Is it all work related goals?

Well... That's all that matters, right? Serving your employer? Adding value?

Yeah I didn't realize that the screens made it seem like it was all about work. Most of the categories in the app aren't.

I myself mostly struggle with Social Anxiety outside of work.

This is good feedback though.